permaculture

["Felicity Wright" <flickwright@ozemail.com.au>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <permed@nor.com.au>
To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2002 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] where you from?


> Am enjoying seeing where folks on this list live and what they're doing -
> this thread is pulling in responses from names I don't see much (if at
> all)  - I often wonder who's out - reckon their must be a big silent
> majority and I'm a curious creature by nature....

We live on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the State of South Australia on 100
acres, semi-arid (rainfall less than 500 mm per year and evaporation higher
than rainfall for 11 months of the year). Calcareous soils, hot summers,
cool winters. Most rain in Autumn - early Spring. It is predominantly a
grain/grazing area with lots of barley, wheat, canola and some legumes plus
sheep. There's one annual crop per annum only grown in the cooler months. We
are experimenting with all the mediterranean perennial species, with mixed
success.

A group of farmers in the region have formed a small but active group
lobbying against the introduction of GMOs in the region and the State. They
have been active for over three years but are fairly exhausted and
under-resourced with no funding. As they are all full-time farmers (not
necessarily organic) they have limited time to devote the cause but have
done a fantastic job of heightening awareness in this very conservative
region, getting in the local newspaper and making noises that are
discomforting to the vested interests.

They are trying to keep GMOs off the Eyre Peninsula and believe they can
isolate crops here from cross-pollination because we are essentially flanked
by sea on three sides and desert to the north. Some trialling is going on in
the South-east of the State, but nothing here thus far.

One of the most active farmers in the group recently addressed our
permaculture group and was fantastic. From traditional farming stock, fourth
generation etc. and very articulate, informed and motivated. They have not
been able to network with other such groups as much as they would have like
to because of time/resource constraints.

If anyone out there has some suggestions about websites, organisations,
precedents, case studies where other groups have been effective about
lobbying could you please email the details to me direct on
flickwright@ozemail.com.au to save cluttering up the discussion list. I'll
make them available to the group (they don't have a website.... yet) and
have offered some time to collect information.

Thanks very much in anticipation.

flick